13+
Sarah Lyons
When I was first asked by the County Commissioner to take on 13+, my initial reaction was simple: “Wow—those are some pretty big shoes to fill.”
Mandy and Sophie had led 13+ for several years, and their dedication and experience had built a strong and supportive foundation. Stepping into the role felt both like an honour and a challenge. I knew I wanted to build on everything they had achieved, while also bringing in some of my own ideas and energy.
The first step was gathering a small leadership team. Catherine and I spoke to a few people who had shown interest, and soon we were planning our first adventure together. We decided on a trip to Pax Lodge in London, and—rather ambitiously—it landed on London Marathon weekend.
Originally, we looked at keeping everything as budget friendly as possible, which led to a surprising discovery: there are lots of brilliant free things to do in London if you take the time to look. Google quickly became my best friend during the planning stage.
We were incredibly fortunate, however, when Dawn—one of the trip leaders—successfully secured grant funding for theatre tickets. I also managed to obtain funding to help cover travel costs, which made a huge difference and opened even more opportunities for the girls.
And so, with three leaders and 11 girls, we set off for London. The group travelled in from different areas—some from Ipswich with a leader, others from Haverhill with their own team—making it feel like a real joint adventure.
We were blessed with perfect weather, and London was buzzing with energy.
Our first stop was HQ, followed by lunch near Buckingham Palace. From there we headed to Pax Lodge to check in, settle, and have a chat about the days ahead. Once everyone was ready, we set off again—this time to Camden Market, where the girls enjoyed some free time exploring the stalls, atmosphere, and food.
Next came dinner at Seven Dials Market, which is absolutely worth a visit if you’ve never been. After refuelling, we made our way to the theatre for The Lion King. The show was spectacular, and for one of our group it was their very first theatre experience—which made it even more special.
On Sunday, we enjoyed a more relaxed start with a lie-in before attending the Pax Lodge pinning ceremony. It was a lovely moment to reflect on the experience and what the girls had gained from the trip.
We then headed to the 120 Fenchurch Street viewing platform, where we were treated to incredible panoramic views across London. To finish the weekend, we made one final stop at McDonald’s before catching our trains home.
Would I run another trip like this? Absolutely.
Was everything perfect? Not quite—there are areas, especially paperwork, that I would refine next time. But the most important thing is that the girls and leaders experienced so many “firsts,” had plenty of fun, and created memories they’ll carry with them.
And really, that’s what it’s all about.